Before he became Saint Peter, he was just Simon—a regular fisherman from Galilee. Simon’s journey to becoming Peter, the rock, was anything but smooth.
He left behind everything to follow Jesus, yet he often struggled to grasp what Jesus was all about. He boldly declared that Jesus was the Messiah, yet he couldn’t accept a Messiah who would suffer and die. He witnessed Jesus transfigured in glory, but when things got tough, Peter denied even knowing him.
Through all of Peter’s ups and downs, Jesus never stopped loving him. That’s what a Good Shepherd does: He guides his sheep—who are prone to wander—into safe places and calls them by their true names, even when they forget who they are. Check out this clip from The Chosen that captures Jesus’ teaching, recorded in John 10, about him being the Good Shepherd:
“Yes, I am the gate. Those who come in through me will be saved. They will come and go freely and will find good pastures.” –John 10:9